Abstract

In this paper we estimate the European
potential for carbon mitigation of no-till farming using results from European
tillage experiments. Our calculations suggest some potential in terms of (a)
reduced agricultural fossil fuel emissions, and (b) increased soil carbon
sequestration. We estimate that 100% conversion to no-till farming would be
likely to sequester about 23 Tg C y–1 in the European Union or about
43 Tg C y–1 in the wider Europe (excluding the former Soviet Union).
In addition, up to 3.2 Tg C y–1 could be saved in agricultural
fossil fuel emissions. Compared to estimates of the potential for carbon
sequestration of other carbon mitigation options, no-till agriculture shows
nearly twice the potential of scenarios whereby soils are amended with organic
materials. Our calculations suggest that 100% conversion to no-till agriculture
in Europe could mitigate all fossil fuel-carbon emissions from agriculture in
Europe. However, this is equivalent to only about 4.1% of total anthropogenic
CO2-carbon produced annually in Europe (excluding the former Soviet
Union) which in turn is equivalent to about 0.8% of global annual anthropogenic
CO2-carbon emissions.